“MITO wholeheartedly congratulates our 2018 scholarship recipients,” says MITO Chief Executive Janet Lane. “The significant number of high-calibre applicants only serves to reiterate the significance of their achievement and we are pleased that they can be deservedly recognised with a MITO scholarship. We look forward to supporting them through their training programmes and on to successful and rewarding careers.”

With the introduction of 24 months of fees-free industry training for eligible learners, some Kick Start scholarship recipients will have their funding transferred to underwrite their fees for their third year of training.

The Kick Start scholarships were awarded to individuals who were full-time students in 2017 at either secondary school, a polytechnic or a private training establishment, and had full-time employment or an offer of full-time employment in one of MITO's industries in 2018. The scholarship contributes $1,000 towards the fees for any MITO apprenticeship or traineeship programme at Level 4 or above.

The Kick Start Māori and Pasifika scholarships were awarded to individuals of Māori or Pasifika ethnicity who were full-time students in 2017 at either secondary school, a polytechnic or a private training establishment, and had full-time employment or an offer of full-time employment in one of MITO's industries in 2018. The scholarship contributes $1,000 towards the fees for any MITO apprenticeship or traineeship programme at Level 4 or above.

The MITO Alumni scholarships were awarded to individuals who had completed a qualification at Level 4 or above through MITO and wished to continue their studies. This scholarship contributes up to $2,000 towards any advanced programme of study related to their industry.

The Business Skills Māori and Pasifika scholarships were awarded to current or aspiring managers or supervisors in one of MITO’s industries who are of Māori or Pasifika ethnicity and pays for the programme fees for MITO's First Line Management programme.

The Clyde Cunningham QSM Memorial scholarship was awarded to a MITO automotive graduate in the Hawke’s Bay region and honours a long-standing MITO employee. The scholarship pays for the first year fees for MITO’s Level 5 automotive programme or the fees for MITO's First Line Management programme.